Coin collectorxs b book



Nov. 16, 1965 c. w. PHELPS 3,217,866

COIN COLLECTOR'S BOOK Filed Aug. 15, 1965 VENT CLIF'FOR W. P LPS FIG5 ZL ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,217,866 COIN COLLECTORS BOOK Clifford W. Phelps, 9043 E. Walnut St., Bellflower, Calif. Filed Aug. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 302,413 4 Claims. (Cl. 206-.83)

The present invention relates generally to the hobby field, and more particularly to a coin collectors book in which coins can be collected and displayed while fully protected from contamination with foreign elements in the ambient atmosphere.

In recent years the collecting of coins has met with increasing popularity, and as a result a need has arisen for a device in which coins not only can be collected, but one in which they may be viewed during the period of collection as Well as afterwards free from cont-act with elements that would cause the deterioration thereof.

A major object of the present invention is to provide a hard backed book that includes a number of pages, with each of these pages having a number of openings arranged in rows and columns therein, to snugly engage coins of a particular denomination, and a transparent sheath being provided for each of these pages to snugly engage the same to protect the coins in the openings therein, as well as preventing the coins being inadvertently displaced from the openings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a coin viewing device that includes a number of pages in which coins are disposed in openings formed therein, with each page being provided with a transparent sheath that may be hermetically sealed to the binding to fully protect the coins Within the confines thereof, and the sheath being removable from the page up to the time of completion of the collection therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coin collecting and display device in which the pages are preferably formed from a relatively thick and rigid polymerized resin, with the openings therein being slightly tapered to permit the insertion of coins therein, and the taper of the openings being such asyto removably hold coins at fixed centered positions Within the openings.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a coin collecting and display device that is free of paper, and as a result the coins displayed and collected in the device not tarnishing due to contact with sulphur compounds that are invariably present where paper is used as a part of the collecting or display device.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a coin collecting and display device in which each opening of a particular page is adapted to receive a coin of -a particular denomination as Well as year of issue, and each page having pertinent data imprinted thereon under each opening as to the coin contained therein that would be of iterest to coin collectors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a book in which collections of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollars can be maintained for collecting and display purposes on individual pages.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof and from the drawings illustrating that form in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the coin collecting and display device that include-s a number of coinholding pages that are capable of being completely enclosed within the confines of envelope-like sheaths, one of which sheaths is illustrated as being disposed to the right of the first page of the book;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of one of the pages shown in FIGURE 1;

3,217,866 Patented Nov 16, 1965 FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the first page of the device taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating the manner in which the year and other pertinent data of interest to a coin collector are imprinted on the page below the opening adapted to receive a particular coin;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, transverse cross-sectional view of the device taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, transverse cross-sectional view of a portion of the device taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, top plan view of a portion of the device taken within the confines of the circle 6 as shown in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of the device taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 for the general arrange ment of the invention, it will be seen that it includes a number of rectangular pages A, each of which has a number of circular openings B formed therein that are preferably arranged in rows and columns, as can best be seen in FIGURE 1. Each of the pages A is relatively thick, and is at least as thick as the thickest coin C that will be disposed therein. Each of the openings B is defined by a slightly tapered side wall 10, and as a result when a coin C is pressed therein, it is gripped by the tapered side wall and held in a substantially centered position as shown in FIGURE 5.

The device as can best be seen in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4, includes an elongate back D that has a pliable sheet material 12 adhered thereto and this material extending out to hingedly support a front cover E from the back D. The back D also has sheet material 12 extending outwardly therefrom to pivotally support a rear cover F, best seen in FIGURE 4. The sheet material 12 is also arranged to define pairs of longitudinally extending'tabs G, and each of these pairs of tabs engaging opposite longitudinally extending edge portions of one of the'page's A (FIGURE 4).

A number of elongate strips H of a foldable sheet material are provided as shown in FIGURES 1 and 4, and each being folded to extend circumferentially around one of the pairs of tabs G and the longitudinal edge portion of one of the pages A disposed therebetween. The longitudinally extending side surfaces of the folded strips H, best seen in FIGURE 4, are disposed outwardly a substantial distance from the longitudinally extending side surfaces of the page A most adjacent thereto.

Each of the pages A shown in FIGURE '1 is' also provided with a rectangular envelope-like sheath'J that is open along one longitudinal side thereof. Sheath J is defined by two laterally spaced side Walls 14 that have the edges thereof connected by end walls 16 and an outer wall 18. Each of the sheaths I is of such dimensions as to be slidably but snugly mountable on one of the pages A, and when said slid onto one of the pages A having the edges 20 0f the sheath in abutting contact with the longitudinally extending edges 22 of one of the folded strips H. The thickness of the material defining each of the sheaths J is such that when one of the sheaths J is slidably mounted on a page A to have the edges 20 and 22 in abutting contact, the external surfaces of the strip H and that defining the sheaths J lie in a common plane, as can best be seen in FIGURE 4.

When one of the sheaths J is slidably mounted on a page A that has all of the openings B therein filled with coins C, the sheath I can be hermetically sealed to the folded strip material H by overlying adjacently disposed sections of the strip H and sheath I with a continuous, elongate strip K of flexible, transparent material such as Scotch tape or the like, that has one side coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. The strip K serves to removably support each of the sheaths J in a position on one of the pages A to permit the coins C in the openings B to be inspected but at the same time protect the coins in the openings B from tarnishing due to contact with human hands or contamination by elements in the atmosphere.

Should it be desired, each page A adjacent the strip H associated therewith can have an elongate cavity 24 formed therein that extends downwardly from the upper edge 26 of the page. A compressed helical spring 28 is disposed in the cavity and at all times urges a prong 30 upwardly therein. The prong 30 includes a base 32 and shank 34 extending upwardly therefrom. A ring 36 is press fit in the upper portion of cavity 24, and has the shank 34 slidably mounted therein. The upper end of shank 34 removably engages a dimple 38 formed in the sheath Jas best seen in FIGURE 7. If desired, a small ball could be substituted for prong 30.

The use and operation of the invention has previously been explained in detail and need not be repeated. Although my invention is fully capable of achieving the results and providing the advantages hereinbefore mentioned, it is to be understood that it is merely the presently preferred embodiment thereof, and that I do not mean tobe limited to the details of construction above described other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A book for displaying coins in protected positions that includes:

(a) an elongate back;

(b) a front and rear cover;

(c) A pliable sheet material adhered to said back and the interior surfaces of said front and rear covers, with said sheet material pivotally supporting said covers from said back, which sheet material adjacent said back and between said covers defines a plurality of pairs of tabs;

(d) a plurality of rectangular pages fabricated from a polymerized resin, in each of which pages a plurality of spaced circular openings are formed, with the transverse area of said openings being such as to snugly engage a coin of a particular denomination when disposed therein, and with each of said pages being of a thickness at least as great as that of the thickest coin to be disposed in said openings formed therein, each of which pages has an inner longitudinal edge portion adhered between one of said pairs of tabs;

(e) a plurality of elongate strips of a foldable material, each of which extends circumferentially about one of said pairs of tabs and a rearwardly disposed surface of one of said pages most adjacent thereto, with each of said strips when so disposed defining a continuous forward edge of substantial thickness;

(f) a plurality of transparent envelope-like rectangular sheaths formed from a material of substantially the same thickness as that of said strips, with each of said sheaths having one open longitudinal side, each of which sheaths is of such size as to be slidably mountable on one of said pages to snugly engage the same and protect said coins mounted in said openings, and when each of said sheaths is mounted on one of said pages the edges thereof defining said open longitudinal side it is in abutting contact with said forward edge of one of said strips; and

(g) first means for removably holding each of said sheaths on one of said pages to maintain said coins in said page out of contact with the ambient atmosphere.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein a dimple is formed in each of said sheaths on an edge surface thereof and said first means includes:

(h) a plurality of spring-actuated members mounted on said pages that engage said dimples when said sheaths are slid inwardly on said pages to permit said edges defining said open longitudinal sides to be in abutting contact with said forward edges of said strips.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein a dimple is formed in each of said sheaths on an interior edge surface thereof and a plurality of cavities are formed in said pages that extend inwardly from transverse edges thereof, and said first means includes:

(h) a plurality of prongs slidably mounted in said cavities; and

(i) a plurality of compressed helical springs positioned in said cavities that at all times tend to move said prongs towards said sheaths, which springs force said prongs into said dimples when said sheaths are slid inwardly on said pages to permit said edges defining said open longitudinal sides to be in abutting contact with said forward edges of said strips.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means comprise a plurality of lengths of flexible material that are coated on a first side with a pressure-sensitive adhesive, with each of said lengths extending around and overlying adjacent parts of one of said sheaths and said folded strip most adjacent thereto, which adhesive coated side is in pressure contact with the same.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,449,204 9/1948 Curtis 206.83 3,064,805 11/1962 Bains 206-.83

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

THERON E. CONDON, Examiner. 

1. A BOOK FOR DISPLAYING COINS IN PROTECTED POSITIONS THAT INCLUDES: (A) AN ELONGATE BACK; (B) A FRONT AND REAR COVER; (C) A PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL ADHERED TO SAID BACK AND THE INTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID FRONT AND REAR COVERS, WITH SAID SHEET MATERIAL PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING SAID COVERS FROM SAID BACK, WHICH SHEET MATERIAL ADJACENT SAID BACK AND BETWEEN SAID COVERS DEFINES A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF TABS; (D) A PLURALITY OF RECTANGULAR PAGES FABRICATED FROM A POLYMERIZED RESIN, IN EACH OF WHICH PAGES A PLURALITY OF SPACED CIRCULAR OPENINGS ARE FORMED, WITH THE TRANSVERSE AREA OF SAID OPENINGS BEING SUCH AS TO SNUGLY ENGAGE A COIN OF A PARTICULAR DENOMINATION WHEN DISPOSED THEREIN, AND WITH EACH OF SAID PAGES BEING OF THICKNESS AT LEAST AS GREAT AS THAT OF THE THICKEST COIN TO BE DISPOSED IN SAID OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN, EACH OF WHICH PAGES HAS AN INNER LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION ADHERED BETWEEN ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF TABS; (E) A PLURALITY OF ELONGATE STRIPS OF A FOLDABLE MATERIAL, EACH OF WHICH EXTENDS CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ABOUT ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF TABS AND A REARWARDLY DISPOSED SURFACE OF ONE OF SAID PAGES MOST ADJACENT THERETO, WITH EACH OF SAID STRIPS WHEN SO DISPOSED DEFINING A CONTINUOUS FORWARD EDGE OF SUBSTANTIAL THICKNESS; (F) A PLURALITY OF TRANSPARENT ENVELOPE-LIKE RECTANGULAR SHEATHS FORMED FROM A MATERIAL OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME THICKNESS AS THAT OF SAID STRIPS, WITH EACH OF SAID SHEATHS HAVING ONE OPEN LONGITUDINAL SIDE, EACH OF WHICH SHEATHS IS OF SUCH SIZE AS TO BE SLIDABLY MOUNTABLE ON ONE OF SAID PAGES TO SNUGLY ENGAGE THE SAME AND PROJECT SAID COINS MOUNTED IN SAID OPENINGS, AND WHEN EACH OF SAID SHEATHS IS MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID PAGES THE EDGES THEREOF DEFINING SAID OPEN LONGITUDINAL SIDE IT IS IN ABUTTING CONTACT WITH SAID FORWARD EDGE OF ONE OF SAID STRIPS; AND (G) FIRST MEANS FOR REMOVABLY HOLDING EACH OF SAID SHEATHS ON ONE OF SAID PAGES TO MAINTAIN SAID COINS IN SAID PAGE OUT OF CONTACT WITH THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE. 